Humanoid robotics maker Sunday reaches $1.15B valuation to build household robots

Robotics innovator Sunday has achieved a remarkable milestone, raising $165 million in a recent funding round that elevates its valuation to $1.15 billion, officially marking it as a unicorn. The Series B funding was spearheaded by Coatue Management, with notable participation from investors such as Tiger Global, Benchmark, and Bain Capital Ventures. Since emerging from stealth mode late last year, Sunday has already generated significant interest, boasting a waitlist of 1,000 eager customers. Founded by Tony Zhao and Cheng Chi, the company is dedicated to developing Memo, a humanoid robot designed to assist with everyday household tasks like laundry and dish clearing. The concept of a household helper reminiscent of Rosie from "The Jetsons" has been a long-standing dream for robotics experts, yet previous attempts have often stumbled due to the challenges of training robots to handle various objects with different weights, textures, and fragility. However, as advancements in AI technology continue to unfold, Sunday and other companies are optimistic about finally bringing this humanoid assistant into reality, paving the way for a new era of domestic robotics.